Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-07-29
THE GHlLZAI COUNTRY.
etCYCLER STEVENS VISIT TO A
CAMP OF AFGHANISTAN NOMADS.
pstriarchzI Life in a Desert Country.
Picturesque Dress OF the Women-An
Embarrsssed Chief-TribsI Hospitality.
Etiquette oI the Table.

Etiquette bt the tsbt
In the lonely desert country east OF
Kandahar are occasional small oases that
in the comparatively moist springtime af
ford excellent grazing Arriving at one
of these verdant areas | observed herds
of camels browsing peacefully ON the
green young heritage, and pretty soon
came to IA cluster of about fifty black goat
hair tents. The tents were pitched in two
parallel rows along stretch OF clean,
gravelly ground, slightly elevated above
the mud flats of an adjacent alkaline sink.
The material of the tents was woven
goat hair, and the prevailing shape a COM
promise between the Indian tcpee and an
ordinary wedge tent. The tent Of the
chief stood out conspicuously from the
others by reason of its large size and the
superior material entering into its con
struction. 4 couple Of hundred yards
from the tents was small spring Of
water inclosed within a rude wall OF loosely
piled stones. The water was allowed To
percolate through this wall and accumu
late in Il basin outside. Here, as rode
up, were several women filling goat skin
| vessels 10 carry to the tents.
Some of these women were picturesque
creatures. To say the least, their radiance
| consisting Of haggy Turkish trousers Of
brightest blue, and jackets Of equally
bright red. They also wore a profuson Of
bead necklaces and the mullifare gew
! gaws so dear 10 the heart Of semi-CiviliZed
races in all parts Of the world. A con
splcuous ornament, and one that ! had
not yet seen in Asia, was small beaded
jewel attached to the left side OF the nose,
apparently fastened there by means II a
hole bored through the cartilage. In
striking contrast 10 the gorgeous raimentS
affected by the females of the tribe We're
| the simple vet withal striking costumes Of
| the men. As | halted n moment TO OBJ
tain drink Of water at the spring could
see these noble loafers emerging from the
shelter Of the tents and standing in curl
| Gus groups, trying 10 penetrate the secret
OF my strange appearance and still
stranger mode of lOComotion. From bead
to foot the GhilZaiS We're clad in coarse
| white cotton cloth; with their flowing
white garments and rude weapons .hey
looked like some strange community Of
warrior priests. On their heads were tall,
conical hats fsncifully braided with gold
| or silver III. cad. Enough white material to
make bed sheet wound round about the
| base Of the cone coverted this headgear into
a regulation Afghan turban. Two feet or
thereabouts at one end of the turban was
left dangling down the wearer's back
On their arms they wore bracelets Of
plain copper wire about the size Of or
dinary telegraph wire. Some of the men
wore as many as half a dozen of these
rude ornaments-three on each wrist.
Some of theiI feet were incased i'll rude
sandals Of untanned goatskin; others re-
| joiced in the possession of red leather slip
per like footgear with pointed toes, OBJ
| tanned from the baZars OF Kandahar or
Beerjaud. The chief sported an elaborate
, pair of Hindostani shoes, the fronts of
| which We're fancifully ornamented with
patterns in gold thread. In all other par
ticulars his costume was the counterpart
of those about him.
The Ghilzais are among the most fanatl-
cal Of the Afghan tribes, and as rode UP
and dismounted at the tent Of the chief
tain that worthy champion Of Islam
colored up as red as a beet with embsr-
rassment. With the quick intuition and
ready penetration that come Of long and
varying association with the strange peO-
Piles OF Central Asia, the changing couute-
nance of the Ghilzai chief impressed me
~ lHs
tSnaticism lighting up spontaneously at
She sudden appearance of Ferenghi in
ais presence and power. He invited me
hto his tent with a brusque, half angry
gesture that was probably due more TO
his embarrassment than to voluntary dis
courtesy; for To give the devil his due,
one great redeeming feature of all these
wandering Asiatc tribes is their hospi-
taiity TO strangers.
Gathered about the door Of every tent
We're women and children gazing Curl
ously and with much wonderment at the
strangers marvellous aspi-awhen 6ron
horse, standing mp against the tent pole
Of their chieftain's quarters. The smooth,
hard, gravelly elevation was in every
respect suitable for bicycling; and so, TO
crafty the curiosity Of the whole wonder
ing camp, / rode several times back and
forth the entire length of the tented street.
Ny appearance among them was the sig
nal for ordering the slaughter OF fat
young goat, SO that the chief might enter
tain the stranger in hospitable and be-
coming manner The evening meal con-
sisted of pancake like sheets Of unleavened
bread, boiled goat, mast and doke. \
liberal bowl Of the broth from the boiled
mast and doke We're placed before me Oh
a wooden tray on the ground The chief
and several Of his men gathered around
communal spread of the same dishes
The Ghilzai chief invited me TO begin
eating with grave and dignified .'Bisnlil-
lah." Knives and forks were. Of course.
conspicuous by their absence: the Ghilzai
eats entirely with his fingers Al my re-
quest was provided with a rude wooden
ladle, the only implement in the form of
spoon that the camp was able 10 produce
Everybody watched me with intense inter
est To see what particular use l was Q ing
10 make Of the ladle. A look OF curious
incredulity came over their faces, as if I'M
able To believe the evidence of their own
eyes, when | began using il for drinking
the broth. These rude children Of the
Afghan deserts watched me drink broth
out of a ladle with intense curiosity. At
their table l was equally curious TO OBJ
serve their own particular mode Of eating.
Everybody first proceeded TO tear the
sheets OF bread into little pieces and put
them into the big bowl OF broth. This was
pressed down and worked about with the
hand until the broth was pretty thoroughly
soaked up. verybody then helped them
selves to liberal mouthfuls of the saturated
bread, rolling il into sizable balls for pop
ping in the mouth. The mass was dipped
up with small pieces of bread and popped
into the mouth. Each guest took his turn
in liberal potations from the flowing bowl
of doke. Etiquette demands the chief to con
time eating. or at least 10 pretend 10 con-
tinue eating, after everybody is finished
Al the conclusion of the meal every body
eruCtatcd aloud TO signify that the measure
ut their capacity was reached, when an at
tendant appeared and carried away the
remnants. All the vessels used during
the meal were Of massive pewter, curi
uusly CHASED, valued ani indesiructible
household gods. that are handed down
from one generation TO another Thomas
stevens in New York World.
A Good Appetite
Is essential to good health; but at this sea
sOa it is often lost. owing to the poverty OF
impurity of the blood arrangement of the
digestive organs, and the weakening effect